1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a structure for installing an anti-theft device in a motorcycle, particularly to a structure for installing in a motorcycle an anti-theft device comprising a communications device capable of reporting its current position by wirelessly transmitting at least identifying information.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various different inventions for preventing vehicle theft have been reported.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 61-30450 teaches a vehicle theft prevention device including theft detection means, signal transmission means and an alarm device installed in the vehicle, and a display carried by the vehicle owner that displays a theft detection message received from the vehicle and can be operated to transmit a signal for activating the alarm device.
The vehicle anti-theft device taught by Japanese Patent No. 2,665,478 has a theft detector and a position detector installed in a vehicle. When the detector detects that the vehicle has been stolen, it activates the position detector to automatically transmit position information thereafter.
The artificial satellite-based Global Positioning System (GPS) that has become widely available for practical applications in recent years makes it possible to acquire accurate information on current position by picking up signals transmitted by the system's satellites.
Moreover, recent advances in wireless telecommunications system technologies have led to the implementation of a positioning service utilizing the PHS (Personal Handy phone System). This service can pinpoint the position of a PHS communications terminal from the base station that covers the wireless telecommunications service area where the terminal is located.
This means that a communications terminal can inform a person, such as its owner or administrator, located at remote location of its current position by wirelessly transmitting at least its identifying information by, when using the GPS, wirelessly transmitting its current position acquired from the GPS and its identifying information or, when using the PHS, wirelessly transmitting its identifying information.
Installing such a communications terminal in a motorcycle as an anti-theft device would make it possible to locate the motorcycle more quickly when stolen, thanks to information transmitted from the anti-theft device.
The assignee has filed Japanese Patent Application No. 2001-9071 for a system suitable for vehicle anti-theft purposes that enables determination of the maker name, vehicle type, body color and other vehicle attributes when the vehicle is stolen.
The assignee also applied for the invention taught by Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2001-196529, which enables a mobile telephone unit that is capable of detecting theft by use of a G sensor and of informing the unit user of the theft, to be protected against theft by placing it in a trunk formed under the seat of a motorcycle and locking the seat to serve as a trunk cover when the motorcycle is parked.
However, the prior art does not offer an installation structure for an anti-theft device that is specifically suitable for a motorcycle.
Specifically, no installation structure has been proposed that meets the requirement that an anti-theft device designed to wirelessly report motorcycle theft must be installed where the thief cannot find it and therefore cannot detach it. Although such an installation site is readily available in a car with lockable doors, securing an installation site that is both lockable and out of sight in a motorcycle is exceedingly difficult because almost every portion of a motorcycle is exposed.
Moreover, an anti-theft device with wireless telecommunications capability is equipped with one or more indicators for showing its operating condition, such as whether it is being properly supplied with power and operating normally. When installed out of sight, therefore, some provision must be made for enabling the user to easily check the indicator when necessary.
In addition, a motorcycle is exposed to the exterior substantially throughout and is also subject to considerably more vibration during driving than a car. The anti-theft device therefore has to be protected from rainwater etc. and to be isolated from vibration so as to protect it from vibration-induced failure. No installation structure that realistically satisfies these needs has yet been developed.
This invention was accomplished in light of these circumstances and has as an object to provide a structure for installing a device capable of wirelessly transmitting theft-related information in a motorcycle, which realistically satisfies the foregoing requirements.
The above and other objects and features of the invention will become apparent from the following description.